Various types of travel pillows are already known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,462, entitled “Pillow With Slidable Strap Through It” discloses an elongated pillow with an interior adapted to slidably accommodate a strap. The strap can releasably attach the pillow to a portion of the user's body, via connectors, at the ends of the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,908,692, entitled “Support For Supporting The Neck And Head Of A Human Being,” discloses a support for supporting the neck and head of an individual. More particularly, this patent discloses a travel pillow for supporting the individual's neck and head in a high-backed seat, in a bed, or on a hard surface, by using right and left elongated support members which support right and left portions of the back, head and neck, respectively. Each of the support members, and an intermediate section, is sufficiently bendable to conform to the natural contours of the left and right neck and head portions of the individual.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,638, entitled “Pillow For Sleeping Upright In A Chair,” discloses a dual unit which adjustably supports a user's head, to prevent the user from slumping either too much forward or too much to either side. The dual unit secures to the top end of a chair.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D534,389, entitled “Travel Pillow,” discloses a contoured travel pillow which is shaped somewhat similar to a football, with opposite ends of a strap attached to opposite sides of the pillow. The strap extends around the torso of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,177, entitled “Adjustable Travel Pillow,” discloses an adjustable travel pillow structure having a pillow outer shell, a support frame within the shell and a back supporting arm which connects to the top end of a seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,412, entitled “L-Shaped Anchored Pillow,” discloses an L-shaped pillow and pillow case combined with an anchor structure for retaining the pillow and pillowcase in position on a bed, with one leg of the L-shaped pillow and pillowcase being positioned under the head in a conventional manner and the other leg of the pillow and pillowcase extending longitudinally alongside a person reclining on the bed.
Each of these prior art pillows suffers from one or more disadvantages, including: lack of conformability to a user's head; inability to retain the pillow in a desired position relative to the user; insufficient adaptability for use on different sides of the user; and inconvenience in carrying along on a long trip.